Agassiz’s Apistogramma – Fire Red

A high-colour domestic strain with red to orange flanks and fins, yellow areas, metallic blue facial markings, and a dark lateral band that may be reduced in intensely selected males. Colour and caudal pattern vary among breeding lines.

Treat Fire Red as a captive variety of Apistogramma agassizii. Do not use the strain name as a formally accepted species name. Verify body shape and the pointed agassizii-type caudal profile because brightly coloured commercial Apistogramma are sometimes mislabelled.

Males are larger, more elongated, and more intensely coloured, with longer dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins. Females are smaller and become yellow with black brood markings. Young or subordinate males may mimic female colour.

A 60 cm aquarium is suitable for a compatible pair. A male with two or more females needs additional floor area, one secure cave per female, and strong visual barriers. Use fine sand, wood, leaf litter, shaded planting, and gentle filtration. Keep a divider or spare tank available if aggression becomes severe.

A territorial lower-level dwarf cichlid. It can be calm with suitable upper-water companions outside breeding, but courtship and brood care may produce strong aggression.

Keep as a compatible pair or a carefully planned harem. Each female needs a separate cave territory and the male needs open routes between territories.

Males defend a broad area and may harass unreceptive females. A brooding female strongly defends her cave and fry and may drive the male across most of a small aquarium.

Suitable display companions include small peaceful tetras, pencilfish, and hatchetfish in a sufficiently large aquarium. Avoid other Apistogramma, aggressive cichlids, crowded bottom dwellers, and ornamental shrimp. Tank mates can eat fry.

Captive Fire Red lines are usually more adaptable than wild locality forms, but they still perform best in warm, clean water with low to moderate mineral content. Softer and more acidic conditions generally improve egg fertility and hatch rate.

A small-invertebrate predator that should receive varied live, frozen, and high-quality prepared foods.

Feed small portions once or twice daily. Newly imported fish may need live or frozen foods before accepting pellets. Avoid a long-term single-food diet.

A polygynous cave spawner. The female attaches eggs to a cave ceiling or wall and provides most direct brood care. The male usually guards the wider territory. Nutritious live foods, stable warm water, and soft acidic conditions improve results.